Not sure where to begin? The Office of the University Printer offers free initial design and editorial consultation to all Yale organizations. Yale Printing and Publishing Services also provides free initial design and production consultation to the entire community. In addition, a number of the university’s schools and departments have communications offices that offer consultation and professional design and editorial services.
Every piece of public communication that you produce influences our audience’s understanding of Yale. Our design and editorial work has the potential to raise or diminish the university’s reputation. Please carefully consider the level of professional skill that you bring to bear on your communication projects. The factors to weigh and rate:
- Importance and size of your target audience. Casual work aimed at your own department’s staff (like the announcement of an upcoming potluck event) falls at the low end of this scale. Communications of almost any kind aimed at large groups of students (or prospective students), parents, alumni, employees, faculty, donors, the media, and government agencies lie at the high end of this scale.
- Persistence or “longevity” of a physical or digital publication. Certificates, diplomas, programs from important Yale ceremonies (like commencement and inaugurations) and memorial events, books, web repositories, and archives of all kinds are properly assigned to the high end of this scale.
- Technical or conceptual complexity of the content to be communicated. Communication projects that call for illustrations or data visualization, or that incorporate complex, legally consequential material—especially when aimed at important audiences—fall at the high end of this scale.
“High-end” communications, as defined by considering the criteria above, should be professionally written, edited, and designed, whether the resulting publication will be digital or physical. Please consult with the Office of the University Printer when you need help determining the appropriate level of professional support for your projects, as well as for recommendations for engaging skilled internal and external service providers.